Operating means for the mechanism of chronographs



June 10, 1941. W, SCHMITZ 2.245302 OPERATING MEANS FOR THE MECHANISM OFCHRONOGRAPHS Filed June 27, 1939 INVENTOR WERNER SCHMITZY ATTYS,

Patentecl June 10, 1941 anger FFECE OPERATING MEANS FOR THE MECHANISIEIOF GHRONOGRAPHS Werner Sclnnitz, Grenchen, Switzerland Application June27, 1939, Serial No. 281,499 In Switzerland April 18, 1939 6 Claims.

The present invention relates to operating means for the mechanism of achronograph.

The object of the present invention is to allow the usual circularmovements of chronographs and counters to be used in non-circular cases,watertight or not.

The invention consists in the provision of operating means for themechanism of chronographs in non-circular cases, said means comprisingat least one push-button arranged in the wall of the case said buttonbeing adapted to operate a blade spring, adapted to move a push-membercontrolling the movement of the chronograph,

The annexed drawing represents, as an example, three embodiments of theinvention.

Fig. l is a plan view of a first embodiment, with the bezel removed.

Fig. 2 is a side view of this embodiment, partly in section.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a second embodiment and Fig. 4 is a part of asection taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a part of a plan view of a third embodiment.

The three embodiments relate to a chronograph with two push buttons bothindependent of the stem, the square bottom H! of the case having bent upedges, to which the bezel, not shown, of the chronograph is fixed.

In the first embodiment (Figs. 1 and 2) the circular movement H isfitted into a ring 12 and is, like most of the ordinary chronographs,provided with two push buttons l3 independent of the stem and acting,radially to the movement, on the levers and pivoted detents forstarting, stopping and returning the watch to zero. A tube l4, receivingthe stem, is provided on the case. Two outer push-buttons 15 independentof the movement are fitted into openings provided on one side of thesquare case band and are adapted to operate the radial push-buttons [3by means of the free ends N5 of a split annular bladespring l6, resting,along part of its length, in a peripheral groove of the ring I2, Thisspring is held on the ring l2 by means of the pins ll fixed to the lugsIS on the ring l2. With a view to preventing any sliding of the springIE on the ring I2 under the efiect of either of the pushbuttons l5 thisspring carries two lateral projections I9 engaging sinkings 20 of ringl2. The radial push-buttons l3 are riveted on the free ends l6 of springl6. These push-buttons could also be independent of said spring.

carrying the movement of the chronograph is omitted. The movement llrests direct on the square bottom H3 whose bent up edges are providedwith lugs 2| holding the movement in place. A split annular blade springl5 surrounds the movement on part of its circumference and the two freeends 83' of the spring are turned towards the center of the movement toform the radial push-buttons. In order to prevent any circumferentialdisplacement of spring 56 this spring possesses two lateral projectionsl9 00- operating with the shoulders formed by the lugs 2| of the bottomHi. The outer push-buttons [5 are here formed as tight push-buttonsacting on the spring lit by means of the loose washers 22 facilitatingthe co-operation between the pushbutton l5 and the spring It.

The embodiment represented in Fig. 5 differs from the first embodimentonly in that the split annular spring I6 is replaced by the two bladesprings 23 attached, independently of each other, to the ring 30 bymeans of two screws 24. The radial push-buttons l3 are riveted on thefree ends of the blade springs 23.

It is understood that other fastening and adjusting means of the annularsprings could be used and the means according to the invention couldjust as well be applied to a chronograph with only one push-button andto other forms of cases where the push-buttons of the movement do notlie in a radial direction.

What I claim is:

1. In a chronograph, a case, a circular movement, a push-button arrangedin the wall of said case, a blade spring adapted to act direct on and tobe flexed direct by said push-button, and a push-member adapted to serveas a controlling means for said movement and to be controlled direct bysaid blade spring on said latter being flexed.

2. In a chronograph, a case, a circular movement, a blade spring, apush-member on said blade spring, said push member being adapted toserve as a controlling means for said movement, a push-button arrangedin the wall of said case and adapted to be acted on direct by said bladespring and adapted to operate said pushmember.

3. In a chronograph, a case, a circular movement, a ring adapted toreceive said movement, a peripheral groove on said ring, a blade springadapted to enter said groove, lugs on said ring, pins fixed to said lugsand adapted to fix said spring on said ring, a sinking on said ring, aIn the embodiment of Figs. 3 and 4 the ring lateral projection on saidspring, adapted to engage said sinking, two push-members, each on oneend of said blade spring, said push-member being adapted to serve as acontrolling means for said movement, two push-buttons arranged in thewall of said case and adapted to be acted on direct by said blade springand adapted to operate said push-members.

4 In a chronograph, a case, lugs on said case, a circular movement heldby said lugs, 21. blade spring touching the circular movement on part ofits circumference, a lateral projection on said spring, adapted toco-operate with one of said lugs for preventing a circumferentialdisplacement of said spring, two push-members each on one end of saidblade spring, said push-members being adapted to serve as a controllingmeans for said movement, two push-buttons arranged in the wall of saidcase and adapted to be acted on direct by said blade spring and adaptedto operate said push-members.

5. In a chronograph, a case, a circular movement, a ring adapted toreceive said movement, two blade springs fixed at one end to said ring,two push-members each on the free end of one of the blade springs, saidpush-members being adapted to serve as a controlling means for saidmovement, two push-buttons arranged in the wall of said case and adaptedto be acted on direct by said blade springs and adapted to operate saidpush-members.

6. In a chronograph, a case, a circular movement, a blade spring, apush-member formed by a spring-end turned towards the center of saidmovement, said spring-end being adapted to serve as a controlling meansfor said movement, a push-button arranged in the wall of said case andadapted to be acted on direct by said blade spring and adapted tooperate said push-member.

WERNER SCHMITZ.

